Malala Yousafzai is a Pakistani girl who made headlines in October 2012 when she was shot in the head by the Pakistani Taliban. She survived the gunshots, but it wasn’t the first time she was faced death threats in the past. Fortunately, she survived the attack despite being unresponsive for three days after the bullets were removed from her neck. It’s a miracle that she suffered no major brain or nerve damage from the attack.
Malala is not just any girl from Pakistan. In fact, this 16-year-old fights for the rights of girls to get an education. She has been struggling against the Talibans’ anti-girls’ education policies for several years.
Today, 12 July, marks Malala’s 16th birthday and it is being observed as Malala Day in several Pakistani states like Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad and Pershawar. It’s no doubt that Malala is a true hero in the eyes of young girls and women of all ages. To honor Malala, her strength and her efforts, we want to share everything we know about this brave woman who struggled to make things possible for other girls like her. Here are 10 things about Malala Yousofzai.
1. Malala was born on 12 July 1997 in Pakistan. She was named after a Pashtun Poetess and a Warrior Woman.
2. Malala was encouraged by her father to become an activist and she spent a lot of her childhood days educating herself on political and educational issues.
3. Malala was only 11 years ld when she started blogging for the Urdu website of the BBC. Her pen name was Gul Makai, meaning cornflower in Pashto. It is also the name of a heroine in many folk stories. She wrote about the violence and extreme activities of the Taliban and other activist groups in her region.
4. Malala was only 11 when she already started thinking about the political situation in Pakistan. She’s known for advocating female education in Pakistan, and worked for many NGO’s and international organizations like the BBC.
5. Malala was a refugee when her family was forced to move due to the increased tension between extremists and the Pakistani Army. She would often write regularly in her diary about her experiences and sufferings.
6. Malala is the youngest female tribal representative. She was chaired the District Child Assembly Swat, an assembly supported by a UNICEF-empowered NGO.
7. Malala shot to fame after her direct statement to the Taliban: “I think of it often and imagine the scene clearly. Even if they come to kill me, I will tell them what they are trying to do is wrong, that education is our basic right”.
8. In October 2011, Desmond Tutu announced Malala’s nomination for the International Children’s Peace Prize. This made her even popular in Pakistan, and it rose even further when she was awarded Pakistan’s first National Youth Peace Prize two months later.
9. A biographical film based on Malala is currently in the process. The director, Amjad Khan says, “Malala is the name of a revolution not only in her own country but around the world”.
10. This year, Malala was featured in TIME magazine as one of “The 100 Most Influential People in the World”. Her picture was featured on the front cover of the magazine and she was listen in the ‘Icon’ section. Her section was writer by Chelsea Clinton.
Malala has signed a book deal reported to be worth US$3million. The book, “I Am Malala” will be published this fall.
